"The lore is," he said, "that the question of lease is between Sir Harry and the tenant. No tenant’s got a right to take the lore into his own hands. If there’s a breach of contract the tenant may take action through the lore: if he won’t pay his rent——" "Smith," said Sir Harry impressively. "We will humiliate this fellow; we will show these foolish people of Brockley, who have no conception of true nobility, how this trickster may be treated." "Governor," said Hal suddenly and excitedly, "why not show ’em the genuine article." "Eh?" "What about Tuppy? He’s under an obligation to you? Why not bring him here. You’ve got an empty house—62, by jove! Next to the Duke’s; the tenants left yesterday...." "An excellent idea—a most worthy idea," said Sir Harry. VIII It is no extravagance to state that everybody knows Tuppy. The station inspector at Vine Street knows him; Isaac Monstein (trading as Grahame & Ferguson, Financiers) knows him, tradesmen of every degree know him, and there is not a debt collecting agency from Stubbs to the Tradesmen’s Protection Association that is unacquainted with his name and style. The doorkeeper at the House of Lords knows him, and nods a greeting in which reproof and deference are strangely intermingled. For Tuppy is George Calander Tupping, Ninth Baron Tupping of Clarilaw in the county of Wigsmouth. He is a youngish man with fair hair and light blue eyes. He typifies in his person the influence of hereditary vices, for he wears a monocle as his father did before him. His attitude towards life is one of perpetual surprise. It earned for him at Eton, a nickname, which he carried to Oxford. He was "The Startled Fawn" to all and sundry, but it was a little too cumbersome to stick, and it is as "Tuppy" that he is best known.... The story of Tuppy is a volume in itself. He began life in the illustrated newspapers, as "Young Heir to a Peerage: Baby Honourable in his Perambulator." He progressed steadily to fame by way of Sandown Park and Carey Street. At twenty-one he filed his petition; at twenty-two he was editing a weekly newspaper; at twenty-four he appeared in "The Whirling Globe of Time," a comedy in four acts written by himself and (after the first night) acted by himself; at twenty-five he went to America in search of a wealthy bride. One can only speculate upon the possible results of his guest, for on the voyage over, he fell madly in love with Miss Cora Delean, that famous strong woman and weight lifter. He married her in New York. Three days after the marriage the lady threw him over. This is literally the truth, and I have too great a respect for Tuppy to endeavour to make capital out of his misfortune. She threw him over the balustrade of the hotel in which they were staying, and poor Tuppy was taken to hospital.